The Australian cricket team toured the West Indies in the 1990–91 season to play a five-match Test series against the West Indies.
The West Indies won the series 2–1 with two matches drawn. The West Indies therefore retained the Sir Frank Worrell Trophy.
Australian squad
Australia had just defeated England 3–0 at home during the 1990–91 season. The team has recovered from the defeats of the mid 80s and there was hope the team could beat the West Indies in a series for the first time since 1975–76. Wisden wrote that the tour "began with exalted expectations of an epic contest between arguably the two strongest teams in the game."[1]
The Australian squad was as follows:
- Batsmen – Allan Border (captain), Geoff Marsh (vice-captain), David Boon, Dean Jones, Mark Taylor, Mark Waugh, Steve Waugh, Mike Veletta (also back up keeper)
- Fast bowlers – Terry Alderman, Craig McDermott, Mike Whitney, Merv Hughes, Bruce Reid
- Spinners – Greg Matthews, Peter Taylor
- Wicketkeeper – Ian Healy
Test series summary
The West Indies won the second and fourth tests easily. Australia won the fifth test.
1st Test
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- West Indies won the toss and elected to bat.
- 4 March was taken as a rest day.
- There was no play on the fourth day.
2nd Test
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- Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
- 26 March was taken as a rest day.
3rd Test
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- West Indies won the toss and elected to field.
- 7 April was taken as a rest day.
4th Test
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- Australia won the toss and elected to field.
- 22 April was taken as a rest day.
5th Test
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- Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
- 30 April was taken as a rest day.
- The match was scheduled for five days but completed in four.
ODI series summary
Australia won the Cable and Wireless Series 4–1.
1st ODI
2nd ODI
9 March 1991
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- West Indies won the toss and elected to field.
- The match was reduced before play started from 50 to 42 overs per side.
- The match was later reduced to 34 overs per side.
3rd ODI
10 March 1991
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- Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
- Australia's innings was reduced to 49 overs.
- West Indies target was reduced to 181 runs in 36 overs (as 245 x 36/49 = 180).
4th ODI
5th ODI
Controversy
A book was written about the tour, Calypso Cricket by Roland Fishman, in which some Australian cricketers were quoted bragging about how many women they slept with.[2] This was seen as a breach of the unspoken agreement between players and journalists for the latter not to report on the former's private lives, and embarrassed Greg Matthews, who was a friend of Fishman's, and who helped him get access to the players. Matthews:
Fishman lied to me. He bludged my money, my clothes, my bed and he told me he was writing a story about cricket in the Caribbean and the way of life. It was anything but that. He deceived me to the max. I haven't seen him since and next time I see him I'll be spitting in his face.[3]
References
- ^ Australian Cricket Team in West Indies 1990–91 at Wisden
- ^ Peter Badel, "The party's over for playboys of sport", The Sunday Mail (Qld) December 06, 2009 accessed 19 December 2012
- ^ Andrew Webster, "What's the Go, Mo?", Inside Sport accessed 19 December 2012
External links
- Australian cricket team in the West Indies 1990–91 at CricketArchive
- Australian cricket team in the West Indies 1990–91 at Cricinfo